I made this recipe around Halloween time. I made it several times after that. I love this recipe the day i make it and the leftovers. It is creamy because of the added cream cheese and full of flavor from the delicious spices. I save time with the chicken by using a Costco rotisserie chicken. When I buy a chicken, I pick the meat off and divide it into two freezer bags. This is the perfect portion for a soup or a meal for our family. If you don't have a rotisserie chicken you can use 2 pounds of chicken breast, shredded.
White Chicken Chili
1/2 rotisserie chicken from Costco, Shredded
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies
1 1/2 tsp cumin
3/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 (8 oz) pkg Neufchatel cheese, cut into 12 slices (aka light cream cheese)
1 1/4 cup fresh corn (frozen works too)
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
3 (15 oz) cans White beans, drained and rinsed
In a large pot, saute onion in olive oil for a couple of minutes. Add garlic and green chilies. Cook for a couple of minutes. Add spices and cook for 1 minute more. Add chicken broth, and bring to a simmer for 15 minutes. Add cream cheese, whisking to incorporate until it is melted. Add corn, beans and lastly chicken. Stir to incorporate. Salt and pepper to taste. Add lime juice. Serve with extra cheese, cilantro, and chips if desired.
Living in Hawaii, I have had a hard time being inspired by “fall weather” food.I live in the endless summer, where you never ever hear yourself saying, “Oooo, lets get our warm jammies on and cuddle underneath a blanket.”My house never has any windows closed, and when it is dumping rain, my boys are playing outside under our lanai. However, I love, love, love soups!They are easy, one-pot meals.My husband does not like soups, he says they make him sweat…especially in Hawaii.Anyways, this recipe is simply to die for.Not only is it WAY less fattening than the other recipes out there, but the flavor is amazing.I used to feel bad about eating creamy-based soups,but this recipe I don’t.I use skim milk, reduced fat sour cream, and way less butter than what normal cream based soups call for.Triumph! Granted this soup doesn’t have a gravy like thickness that the full fat version has, but that kind of “eeks” me out anyways. It gets thicker, the longer it sits, so I usually make it ahead, and leave it on the stove for a little bit. This was pretty fast to throw together as well, as long as you have all the ingredients in hand.
Light Loaded Potato Soup
6 slices bacon 1/2 c onion, chopped 4-5 russet potatoes, depending on size 2 tbs butter 2 tbs reserved bacon drippings 1/3 c flour 4 c skim milk (or whatever you have on hand) 1 can chicken broth 1 c reduced fat sour cream 1 1/4 c. medium or sharp cheddar cheese, grated 4-5 green onion, sliced thinly Salt and pepper to taste
Peel, and cube potatoes. In a large pot, bring potatoes to boil, salt water to flavor (should be almost like the ocean water). Cook until done, drain, and set aside. In same pot cook bacon until crispy and brown. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pot. Add onion and butter, cook until translucent and soft. Add flour, to onions, and continue to stir and cook for about 1 minute. With a whisk, slowly add milk, whisking constantly to break up any lumps, add chicken broth. Over medium heat continue to stir, for about 5-7 minutes. Place about 2 cups of cooked potato into a bowl, and smash it with a fork, add this to the soup. Add remaining cooked potatoes, cheese, and bacon. Stir over medium/high heat until a slightly thick consistency. Turn off heat, add sour cream and green onions. Salt and pepper to taste.
I made this soup tonight and I was thrilled with the outcome. I tried to tell my husband how making a new recipe feels when it has that "to die for" factor. He is a biologist and so I decided to break it down for him. I said "The way I feel about this soup is the way you feel after seeing a rare animal in the wild". He got it! I love cooking because I get to make new discoveries every time I'm in the kitchen. This soup is so flavorful, and different. I was inspired by my friend Jenny. She makes this Loaded Potato Soup that I love, and so I decided to change it around for a new experience for my palate. The result was amazing! I cut out some of the fat and calories of a typical cream based soup, but did not lose any flavor. If you are afraid of jalapenos, just add half of one for the first time you make this and see if it has enough spice. Again....you must make this!
Southwest Potato Soup
5-6 slices of bacon, cut into small pieces 3-4 large russet potatoes 1/2 onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 red bell pepper, chopped 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (remove seeds and veins) 2 tbs butter 1/3 c flour 3 c chicken broth 1 can fat free evaporated milk 1/2 c milk (about) 1/2 c shredded cheese 1/4 c light sour cream 1/4 c cilantro, minced salt and pepper to taste
In a medium pot, boil potatoes until fork tender, drain and set aside. In a large pot, brown bacon until crispy. Remove bacon with slotted spoon, and reserve 2 tablespoons of drippings in the pot, and add butter. In the same pot over medium heat cook onion, jalapeno, bell pepper and garlic in the pot until soft. Add flour, and stir, cooking for a minute. Using a whisk, add chicken broth slowly, making sure to whisk so that there aren't any lumps. Using a measuring cup pour evaporated milk and enough milk to equal 2 cups. Add milks to the pot and stir. Take half of cooked potatoes and mash with a spoon. Add both smashed potatoes and cubed potatoes to the soup. Cook and stir the soup until a creamy, thick consistency. Turn off heat, add cheese, sour cream, and cilantro, stirring until well combined. Salt and pepper to taste.
I know for most of you, fall is in the air, and you want to make a hot soup for dinner, right? Well, I made this last week, and it was 80 degrees, humidity 90%, and I'm not going to lie, I was sweating the whole time, but it was so worth it. I have always wanted to make this soup since I have a love of caramelized onions, cheese and crusty bread. After making this soup, my husband and I both agreed that this was the best french onion soup we have ever had. I looked at a couple of recipes, and chose ingredients, and methods that I felt comfortable working with, and the soup was FAB! Leftovers were even better. We just had the soup for dinner, but a salad would be nice on the side as well. My kids gobbled this up. My 4 year old loved the cheese, and called the onions "noodles", whatever works!
French Onion Soup
5-6 yellow onions, cut in half and then sliced 2 bay leaves 1/2 c butter 2 c beef broth 2 c chicken broth 2 cloves garlic, minced salt and pepper to taste crusty artisan bread (I got some at Costco) grated mozzarella cheese, about 1 cup
In a large pot, that is oven safe, place sliced onions, and butter. Cook onion and butter in the pot with a lid on for 20 minutes on medium high heat. Heat over to 425 degrees, put pot of onions with the lid off into the oven, and let cook, stirring a couple of times until the onions are caramelized. (This could take up to an hour) The onions should look like light carmel color. Remove pot from oven, add broth, bay leaf, and garlic. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove lid and simmer another 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf, season with salt and pepper if needed. Toast slices of bread in the toaster until dry and crisp. Using oven safe bowls or crocks, place soup in each bowl, then slice of bread (make it fit), and then cover generously with cheese. Place bowls or crocks on a cookie sheet and broil the tops of the soup until cheese is melted and starting to turn brown. SERVE!
I love soups because it's a one pot meal, you can make them ahead, and leftovers always taste good. This soup is one of my favorites! You can have a fabulous soup on 15 minutes. I actually got the original recipe from a Pampered Chef Cookbook, and have tweaked some flavors to make the recipe taste a little more TDF. This is really good served with french bread, or sourdough bread. I think you could use frozen tortellini as well as dried. I have always used the Barilla brand in the dried pasta section in the super market, it looks like this: Whatever tortellini you use, just cook it the amount of time in your soup as it says to on the package. If you like a more hearty soup, add more tortellini according to the consistency you are looking for. I have also added grilled chicken to this to make it more filling. ENJOY!
Tortellini Soup
2 tsp olive oil 1/2 c. onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, pressed 2 cans (14 oz) chicken broth 1 1/4 c dried cheese tortellini 1 can (14 1/2 oz) petite diced tomatoes, undrained 1 1/2 tsp dried basil, or fresh basil (double the amount) 1 pkg. (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, or 10 oz chopped fresh spinach grated fresh Parmesan cheese for garnish
In a 3 quart pot, heat oil over medium high heat, add onion and garlic, cook and stir until tender. Add broth, bring to boil. Add tortellini, cook according to package directions, or until tender. Stir in tomatoes, basil, and spinach, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese.
This is another one of those recipes that is so easy to make, your kids will love, and if you have any leftovers, you will want to eat them the next day. Ordinary chicken soup can be such a bore, so I love this soup made with a little cream cheese to give it a creamy, zippy flavor. I use the 1/3 less fat cream cheese, just because you really can't tell the difference, and why not cut out fat? This goes well with a salad, or crusty bread, and will be a definite family pleaser!Creamy Chicken Soup
1 onion, chopped 1 tbsp. butter 3 c. chicken broth 2 stalks celery, sliced 4 carrots, sliced 2 potatoes, peeled and cubed 2 c. chicken, cooked and cubed 2 tbsp parsley, minced (can used dried, but use 1/2 tbsp) salt and pepper 1/4 c. flour 1 c.milk 1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, cubed
In a large saucepan saute onion in butter. Add broth, carrots, celery and potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add chicken, parsley, salt and pepper and heat through. Combine flour and milk in a separate bowl until smooth, then add to the pot. Bring to a boil, cook and stir 2 minutes, reduce heat. Add cream cheese, and stir until melted. Makes 8 servings.
A couple of years ago I was part of "Gourmet Group". A group of us would get together and have a party with a 3 course meal, and beautiful table decorations. This soup was served as one of the main dishes. I love the easy preparation, and little ingredients needed to make a flavorful soup that adults and kids enjoy. Leftovers are always welcome with this recipe. You can use any kind of cheese you have one hand, and you can also use store bought chips if you prefer. I like to cut my corn tortillas into strips, place them on a baking sheet, and bake them at 425 degrees until they are crisp and golden. Salt and pepper this dish to taste, as everyone has different seasoning preferences.
Tortilla Soup with Chicken and Avocado
3 tbsp. oil 3 cloves garlic 1/2 c. cilantro, chopped 1 onion, sliced 1 can diced tomatoes, not drained 1/2 tsp cumin 4 c. chicken broth 2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded salt and pepper 5 corn tortillas 1 avocado, pitted and cubed 1/2 c. cheese
In a large pot over medium heat, warm 1 tbs. oil. Add sliced onion, garlic, cilantro and saute just until golden brown, about 10 minutes. In a blender, combine sauteed mixture and tomatoes and blend until smooth. In the same pot, over medium high heat, warm another tbs. oil. Add tomato mixture and cumin. Cook, stirring frequently, until thickened and darkened, 5-6 minutes. Add chicken stock, cover partially and simmer, stirring occasionally, until soup is slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Add shredded chicken. While soup is simmering, heat 1 tbs. oil in frying pan over medium high heat. Drop tortilla strips and fry until crisp and brown. Set aside. Between four bowls, evely divide tortilla strips, sprinkle some grated cheese and ladle soup into bowls. Top with avocado and a squeeze of lime and more cheese if desired.
